Striker223

It's for any engine really, turbo engines actually stuffer for having the turbo vs an engine that doesn't have one but has the same peak HP output. You obviously have to slam the NA engine past 3500 rpm vs the turbo making the same TQ at 2000 but the NA will use less gas than the turbo engine, issue is most people do not drive to optimize energy release or have engines that are overpowered for "normal" acceleration. My 460 does best when I burst it up to 3800-4200 but it's too power and looks like I am being aggressive vs just gliding a bit faster than normal traffic at 1800-2200.

Your goal should be to hit TQ peak on any engine in 1st gear since that will give it the most mechanical advantage vs the vehicle weight and it's the RPM that the engine hits peak thermal efficiency. Again, issue is that some engine are not well suited to this since they can be overpowered.....think a hellcat going to TQ peak to accelerate normally lol! Smaller engines have an edge here since you can just floor it to TQ peak, hit desired speeds, and cruise and it doesn't come off as being aggressive to others since the car is slow regardless.

Striker223

Yep, that's also exactly how I drive my V8s so I can consistently get near my highway mileage at all times. I started with V8s so I have always driven this way and don't think anything of it....I may own a 4cyl someday but it will be a diesel so it doesn't feel horrible. I'm actually looing at EA188/189 engine equipped cars now since they fascinate me, 55 mpg with a tune and 200hp and 400tq sounds like a pleasant to drive car to me!

xjokerz

We still have a ton of them out here. Maybe it'll change when gas gets to $7 early next month.

mmarshall

My experience, on the fuel-economy indicators, in vehicles both with and without a turbo, is that, turbo or not, the more gently you press the gas pedal, the less fuel you use. Of course, it can vary somewhat from vehicle to vehicle, but the computer doesn't lie. Its sensors constantly measure the amount of fuel going through the injectors, and, several times each second, calculate both instant-IMG and the accumulated MPG since the trip odometer was last reset.

mmarshall

On a related note, with this expensive fuel, AAA and Roadside Assistance programs (many of which simply contract with the AAA) have been overwhelmed recently by the number of drivers taking chances on low fuel-gauges and running out of gas. The Washington Post did an article on it today.....their figures are based on April, and gas prices have climbed even more since then.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...river-wallets/

Och

iTrader: (3)

The MPG gauge on most cars is just a vacuum gauge, it doesn't measure fuel use. And while the engine is uses less fuel at low throttle it takes longer to accelerate to the desired speed, so you need to figure fuel x time.

Och

iTrader: (3)

I dont know if I agree with that, traditional turbo engines with older injection system suffered from poorer fuel efficiency compared to NA, but modern one can be more efficient, at least when they are new and working at peak efficiency.

For diesels, turbo diesels are far more efficient than NA, they can build a very high air to fuel ratio and it runs very efficient leaving no unburned diesel. That's why turbo diesels only produce a lot of smoke when turbo has not yet fully built up pressure, and once at high boost you barely see any smoke.

Toys4RJill

This has always been my experience as well. Never owed a turbo…and no real desire to have one either.

Striker223

Not true, a 4 second burst at 7 mpg is better than a slow 25 second glide at 15. You need to use a given amount of fuel PERIOD to hit a certain speed and if you use it at an engine range outside of peak BSFC you will use more of it.

Striker223

They can't, a turbo engine can never beat an NA engine for absolute efficiency but they do vastly expand the 90% efficient range far beyond what most NA engine can hope to get so it becomes far easier to get good returns. The NA engine would require extreme driver attention to win in most cases whereas turbos allow you to do basically whatever when combined with a modern trans since the window of good TQ output vs fuel use is wide as hell. This becomes very clear if you operate both types of engines head to head....the turbo engine doesn't do as well off boost in a cruise since the pumping loss of the turbos interferes vs an NA engine in the same situation. Difference is the NA engine has a much more limited window where it can win so just like acceleration competitions the NA engine nearly always looses unless there is some serious gaming going on.

Diesel doesn't follow the same rules as gas so that would be an entirely different conversation

xjokerz

How does it work? Does AAA just give you a couple gallons? Never had this issue before. Lol

SW17LS

Yeah they just bring you enough fuel to get the car started and get you to the next gas station. I have never run out of gas, but my parents did when I was along for the ride a couple times when I was a kid.

Toys4RJill

Once awesome LX. Lands 4th in Car & Driver. Escalade, Navigator and Grand Waggoner all ahead.

sad 😞

SW17LS

Its a shame it still has the "Ahoy matey!" body roll lol

Toys4RJill

I have the Car and Driver magazine where it landed #1 back in 98. Ahead of Escalade, Range Rover, Navigator and Mercedes M.